Outdoor Adventure Training - How Would You Do It?

[blw2]

....I like the idea of doing it outdoors.  When I did UofS two years ago, I enjoyed the activities that you could actually do something rather than those just sitting and listening.  Eating something is an additional benefit.

.....

 

I think outdoor training outdoors is a wonderfully novel idea!

It has always cracked me up..... U of Scouting classes in high school classrooms

My Baloo class was 100% indoors, in a church activity hall.

etc....

[Stosh]

@Hedgehog @blw2

 

I think outdoor training outdoors is a wonderfully novel idea!

It has always cracked me up..... U of Scouting classes in high school classrooms

My Baloo class was 100% indoors, in a church activity hall.

etc....

 

Totally agree with the two of you.  If it needs plugging in, it shouldn't be part of the training.  PowerPoint presentations send the message that the instructor is too lazy to actually lead by example.  

 

The #1 reason why I don't attend U of Scouting first weekend in November?  It's because the season is quickly coming to an end and I'm out getting my last few good days in before the snows fall.

 

If one has to plug it in, it has no place in any scouting program.  Show me a scouter who uses PowerPoint to teach the square knot and I'll show you a guy that has Velcro closures on his sneakers....  

[mashmaster]

@Hedgehog @blw2

 

 

Totally agree with the two of you.  If it needs plugging in, it shouldn't be part of the training.  PowerPoint presentations send the message that the instructor is too lazy to actually lead by example.  

 

The #1 reason why I don't attend U of Scouting first weekend in November?  It's because the season is quickly coming to an end and I'm out getting my last few good days in before the snows fall.

 

If one has to plug it in, it has no place in any scouting program.  Show me a scouter who uses PowerPoint to teach the square knot and I'll show you a guy that has Velcro closures on his sneakers....  

Ours is in January where it is really cold here in Texas.  Sometimes we need a jacket!

 

It is split between indoors and out.

[qwazse]

Actually, for orienteering, I found the white boards quite handy!

However, a one-hour course where folks had not read up on the material is completely unrealistic -- be it indoors or out.

 

Now, if all the other courses were outdoors or in isolated shelters, 10-15 minutes apart and unmarked with just coordinates and a top-map ... well, we wouldn't need the orienteering lecture, would we?

[CalicoPenn]

Back to the original question - you could do what I did - get a degree in it (and yes, in many of the classes, I could have taught the subject, thanks to the skills I learned as a Boy Scout).

 

Boy-led, Adult-led - thats just a sideshow to the issue - how do we train adults who haven't had a lot of outdoor experience (not only so that they feel comfortable on outdoor adventures, but also so they can make sure the Scouts are being properly trained - yes, older Scouts should be teaching younger Scouts how to tie knots, start campfires, cook, etc. but the adults better have a good handle on it so that they know the Scouts are being taught the correct stuff).

 

A two weekend skills class offerred once per year isn't enough - and is certainly not going to reach most of the leaders out there.  A full day Baloo course in a church auditorium isn't very effective.  So what to do?  To start, we should be emphazising that Units needs to take some responsibility for training up their own leaders - other than "time", is there any reason why an overnight camp-out just for current, new and prospective Troop leaders can't be done where everyone gets familiar with the equipment, and learns from the experienced leaders the skills that the Scouts will need to know?  Any reason why two or three Troops couldn't get together and do this on their own?  I believe we need to start by ending the insistence that this is the job of the District or Council to do.

 

Does your Summer Camp still have a Commissioner's Camp Site where the Commissioner staff offers informal training throughout the week on outdoor skills for adults?  Where the staff may be ofering up dutch oven cooking lessons one morning, with lunch served and knot tying lessons that afternoon?  One of my fondest memories of Summer Camp was being invited as an older Scout to the Commissioner's Site for a lesson in punching up meals with herbs, spices and minerals other than salt, pepper, cinnamon and oregano. 

 

At Camporees, is there an opportunity for experienced canoeists, kayakes, backpackers, rock climbers, etc. to spend a few hours in the morning or afternoon presenting an overview of those sports and the equipment? 

 

At Roundtable - can 15-20 minutes be set aside as a skills component?  Topics could be on tent selection, backpack selection, and since it's likely indoors, digitial/video presentations on star watching, plant identification, etc.?

[Krampus]

It has always cracked me up..... U of Scouting classes in high school classrooms

 

 

Ours is held at SMU every year. It is truly "university" of scouting. Same old topics. Same old teachers. Same old (stale) delivery.

 

I *did* find it useful during cub scouts and first year boy scouts. After that, it was like riding the log flume ride at Disney: It's a great place to get out of the heat and good for a few laughs, but not worth the wait in line and certainly not something to spend the whole day at.

[DuctTape]

Back to the original question - you could do what I did - get a degree in it (and yes, in many of the classes, I could have taught the subject, thanks to the skills I learned as a Boy Scout).

 

Boy-led, Adult-led - thats just a sideshow to the issue - how do we train adults who haven't had a lot of outdoor experience (not only so that they feel comfortable on outdoor adventures, but also so they can make sure the Scouts are being properly trained - yes, older Scouts should be teaching younger Scouts how to tie knots, start campfires, cook, etc. but the adults better have a good handle on it so that they know the Scouts are being taught the correct stuff).

 

A two weekend skills class offerred once per year isn't enough - and is certainly not going to reach most of the leaders out there.  A full day Baloo course in a church auditorium isn't very effective.  So what to do?  To start, we should be emphazising that Units needs to take some responsibility for training up their own leaders - other than "time", is there any reason why an overnight camp-out just for current, new and prospective Troop leaders can't be done where everyone gets familiar with the equipment, and learns from the experienced leaders the skills that the Scouts will need to know?  Any reason why two or three Troops couldn't get together and do this on their own?  I believe we need to start by ending the insistence that this is the job of the District or Council to do.

 

Does your Summer Camp still have a Commissioner's Camp Site where the Commissioner staff offers informal training throughout the week on outdoor skills for adults?  Where the staff may be ofering up dutch oven cooking lessons one morning, with lunch served and knot tying lessons that afternoon?  One of my fondest memories of Summer Camp was being invited as an older Scout to the Commissioner's Site for a lesson in punching up meals with herbs, spices and minerals other than salt, pepper, cinnamon and oregano. 

 

At Camporees, is there an opportunity for experienced canoeists, kayakes, backpackers, rock climbers, etc. to spend a few hours in the morning or afternoon presenting an overview of those sports and the equipment? 

 

At Roundtable - can 15-20 minutes be set aside as a skills component?  Topics could be on tent selection, backpack selection, and since it's likely indoors, digitial/video presentations on star watching, plant identification, etc.?

 

 

Some good ideas. I think I will suggest your idea that at the next camporee, we have an area for adults to do training. It will also keep them away from interfering with the boys. 

[Hedgehog]

CalicoPenn:

 

I like the ideas. 

 

To start, we should be emphazising that Units needs to take some responsibility for training up their own leaders - other than "time", is there any reason why an overnight camp-out just for current, new and prospective Troop leaders can't be done where everyone gets familiar with the equipment, and learns from the experienced leaders the skills that the Scouts will need to know?  Any reason why two or three Troops couldn't get together and do this on their own?  I believe we need to start by ending the insistence that this is the job of the District or Council to do.

 

I have been doing "on the job" training with new leaders -- especially in the area of cooking (I'm about to turn the Adult patrol cooking over to them... I've set a pretty high standard so I have great expectations).  We get good adult leader turnout for our more adventurous trips and, like the boys, the best way of learning is doing.  Heck, I had never canoed on a river before this year!

 

I think we would have difficulty doing an adult only campout (although it would be fun!) because we have Troop outings pretty much every month of the year.  

 

My question is how do you reach the units that don't have the leaders with the experience?  The multiple troops together is a good idea, but may be difficult in practice -- the four troops in our area are VERY different in size (50, 45, 30 and 15), level of adventure and level of boy-leadership.

 

Maybe the answer is a UofS program to get people's interest and then give them the resources to actually learn the skills.

 

Does your Summer Camp still have a Commissioner's Camp Site where the Commissioner staff offers informal training throughout the week on outdoor skills for adults?  Where the staff may be ofering up dutch oven cooking lessons one morning, with lunch served and knot tying lessons that afternoon?  One of my fondest memories of Summer Camp was being invited as an older Scout to the Commissioner's Site for a lesson in punching up meals with herbs, spices and minerals other than salt, pepper, cinnamon and oregano. 

 

I've often thought that summer camp would be a great place to teach skills.  Unfortunately, our summer camp doesn't do any adult training.